11/17/2022
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KREM
KHQ
KXLY
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KREM
What started as a protest last winter turned into a massive homeless encampment on Department of Transportation land within city limits.
SPOKANE, Wash. — It has become the symbol of homelessness in Spokane, a sprawling camp of tents and broken down RVs along I-90, known as Camp Hope.
What started as a protest last winter took on a life of its own on Department of Transportation land within city limits. Homeless advocates like Jewels Helping Hands say the process of moving people into more permanent housing is a slow one.
At its peak, 650-700 people were staying there. It’s now closer to 450.
Homeless advocates like Jewels Helping Hands say the process of moving people into more permanent housing is a slow one.
"There's nowhere for them to go if we don't start housing them," Jewels Founder Julie Garcia said. "The numbers just increase every single year."
But, the city of Spokane hit a setback in early November when the Hope House women's shelter announced it would be forced to close at the end of January because of budget shortfall.
"Unfortunately, the need is great and the funds weren't there," said Rae-Lynn Barden of Volunteers of America, which operates Hope House.
The closure will mean more than 80 women currently staying at the shelter will be forced elsewhere, and up to 35 employees could also be left without a job.
"To put another roadblock for them, it's really devastating," Barden said.
City leaders tell KREM 2 there may still be hope to find enough funding for Hope House, as the 2023 budget is still being finalized.
But homeless advocates across the city believe as Spokane's population continues to boom, and the homeless population increases, leaders need to start focusing more on long-term housing solutions, instead of just shelter beds.
Still, the brand new Trent Avenue shelter is filling an important need for nightly bed space. It's also now being touted as a resource center, a model city leaders are borrowing from Houston, Texas.
"When we went to Houston, that's what they do when they address encampments," said Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward. "They have navigation centers, and they move people indoors into a navigation center with the expectation that you're going to be assessed there, you're going to be connected to services. And that is where you wait out your housing options. "
But, despite the new shelter, Camp Hope remains.
The mayor says DOT's refusal to clear it has cost Spokane taxpayers more than a half million dollars in garbage cleanup, private security and police overtime.
"We have spent now over $600,000 on their property and the impact the activity on their property is having on the neighborhood and on businesses.”
Earlier this year, Washington state legislators approved $144 million specifically to tackle homelessness in state-owned rights-of-way, like the one where Camp Hope now sits.
Of the $25 million allocated to Spokane County, $14 million went to the Catholic Charities Catalyst transitional housing project at the old Quality Inn on Sunset Hill.
Empire Health received almost $3.5 million for services at Camp Hope and assessments to get people staying there into permanent housing. That includes $1.1 million that went to Jewels Helping Hands.
The city of Spokane is also in talk with Commerce to finalize $1.5 million for 30 beds at the new Trent shelter, although the mayor says at least one request to pay for facility improvements like indoor bathrooms, showers and kitchen space was denied.
The mayor has also faced direct criticism from the Department of Commerce for how Spokane is responding to its growing homeless crisis.
“Commerce hasn't been critical of any other city outside of Spokane, and hasn't blamed any site, any city outside of Spokane for their homeless issue based on an administration or a mayor… I think it's political."
KREM 2 reached out to the Department of Commerce with the Mayor's claim that the city is being treated differently for political reasons.
DOT sent the following response:
"Spokane is not being singled out. We are doing this work in 5 counties and multiple communities and challenges exist everywhere. What is unique about Spokane is that its encampment, on state right of way, is the largest in the state which makes it an exceptional challenge."
The mayor is also critical of certain organizations receiving a portion of Commerce funding.
"I think it's interesting to know that Jewel's Helping Hands is the non-profit that started the protest against the city for not having enough low barrier beds and now they're benefiting from that protest by getting a million dollars from commerce."
But Garcia said she is simply helping a homeless population that city leaders ignored for too long. And she says politics between agencies is hindering progress.
"If I had a magic wand and could just wave it over everything, I'd take the homeless services out of control of the city and put it in control of a non-profit like the Houston model, where it doesn't change with every political climate."
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KHQ
SPOKANE, Wash. - Spokane County has authorized an additional $500,000 to make quality-of-life improvements at the homeless shelter on Trent Avenue.
The funding will help secure additional offices, shower units and beds at the shelter to better accommodate the needs of residents. Most upgrades are expected to arrive later this week, but beds may take longer as.
Two portable office trailers will be used to address privacy considerations for individual appointments and assessment needs. The trailers will provide lighted, heated shared office space for navigators, health care, mental health, substance abuse and veteran services to meet with residents and connect them to services.
Storage containers will also be added to the navigation center to provide secure places to keep individual belongings. This will include one bin that can be kept at the end of an individual’s bed. The cost of these containers has been covered by a $35,000 donation from Hello for Good.
“With the cold weather upon us, it is more crucial than ever that we get people out of the elements”, said Spokane County Board of Commissioners Chair Mary Kuney. “Spokane County provided office capacity, beds, and a new shower trailer to accommodate individuals as they transition from the camp to the Trent Resource and Assistance Center.”
County funds will also be used to buy metal-framed beds, durable mattresses, blankets linens to go on the beds and additional partitions to create additional privacy between beds. Additionally, the county will buy an eight-stall mobile heated shower for use at the facility, similar to those used in firefighting camps during wildfire events.
“Our message continues to be: Come to the Trent Resource and Assistance Center to get out of the weather while you are connected to housing and other service,” Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward said. “Our focus has been to remove barriers for use of the navigation center as a critical path to transitional and permanent housing.”
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KXLY
Posted: November 16, 2022 6:41 PM Updated: November 16, 2022 10:46 PM byBrontë Sorotsky
SPOKANE, Wash. — New changes are coming to the Trent Resource and Assistance Center. The Salvation Army is in, and the change in operator has the shelter in a transition period.
Some people staying at the resource center have said they’ve faced difficulties finding privacy, and had trouble with the restroom and shower facilities.
The city says they’re working to bring more resources in and are working on other issues that have come up. They say that because of the quick handoff, new issues are now coming to light, but they say they’re working to get those issues resolved.
“The port-a-potties were clean when I was there, but they’re starting to get real bad, people walk in on you,” said Beverly Coombs, who’s currently staying at the TRAC. She said she’s stayed at the TRAC for almost two weeks and says she’s noticed some issues.
“They moved one changing spot to one spot and then people were stealing from each other,” she recounts.
The city says the shelter is in a transitional period. With the cold snap, they’re rushing to house more people than before, all while switching to a new shelter operator practically overnight.
“Sometimes change is a little bit difficult and not always smooth. it’s been only two weeks since they took over and they took over really on short notice so that’s what we’re experiencing and going through right now,” Coddington said.
The city says they are working to address issues some people staying there may have, like getting more beds and storage space.
“The beds will come in they’ll get set up and transitioned over as the new things come in, we’re adding additional storage capacity as well, that’s coming in. We’ve got new supply of individual tubs for bedside storage for people as well”, Coddington said.
He added that the city’s main focus is to get people shelter, as temperatures drop.
“The main thing is people have a place to sleep under a roof that’s climate controlled in a bed, access to food, shower and restroom facilities, and all the services they would be accessed at a camp,” Coddington said.
4 News Now wasn’t allowed to film inside the shelter today, but we did go inside to see people sleeping on mats on the floors, as well as beds, and saw just one dressing room area.
On Wednesday night, Spokane County authorized the use of $500,000 to secure additional offices, shower units, and beds at the Trent Resource and Assistance Center.
Two portable office trailers will be used to address privacy considerations for individual appointments. Four large storage containers and 600 individual storage containers are also being added to provide secure places to keep individual belongings.
“With the cold weather upon us, it is more crucial than ever that we get people out of the elements,” said Spokane County Commissioner Board Chair Mary Kuney. “Spokane County provided office capacity, beds, and a new shower trailer to accommodate individuals as they transition from the camp to the Trent Resource and Assistance Center.”